TCA boys dazzle Australian guests at PrimeTime ESCIT

HAMILTON — Trenton Catholic Academy had literally no clue what to expect when the Iron Mikes tipped off against Australia’s Logan High in the boys’ nightcap in the 30th annual PrimeTime Eastern States Christmas Invitational Tournament.

Logan found out what one of Mercer County’s perennial powers had in store for them right out of the gate.

The Iron Mikes used their breakneck speed and relentless pressure to jump out to a 14-point first quarter lead, fought off a second-quarter charge from the Aussies and coasted to a 75-44 victory last night at the Iron Palace.

“We were excited,” Iron Mikes’ junior guard Tennyson Lewis said. “We didn’t know what we were going to be up against. So we played our game hard.”

Christian Swiney started and James Wright finished what proved to be a 16-2 run to open the game. In between, Khalil Batie had a pair of steals that he turned into easy layups and Marquise Bell added a pair of field goals as the Iron Mikes looked like they were playing the game on turbo.

“We haven’t seen pressure like that back home unless you get really good teams,” Logan’s Andrew Lokamin, who scored 18 points.

Logan’s trip to the United States — which will continue with a visit to Boston in a few days — took 16 hours from Australia to Los Angeles and another six hours from Los Angeles before arriving in New York City last night.

It probably wasn’t a sign that boded well for the Wolfpack when one of the team’s coaches had to get a quick crash course from tournament officials on rule differences in the United States compared to Australia.

But Lokamin — who was stateside for the first time like most of the traveling group of 40-some boys, girls and coaches — said his team was ready to embrace the differences in the way the game is played. “It’s very exciting and different, especially with all of the (different) rules and game play,” the 17-year-old, who hopes to play collegiately in the United States, said.

Lomakin keyed a 13-7 Wolfpack run to pull within nine, 29-20, in the second quarter, but that would be as close as the visitors would get.

Lewis turned in one of the best games of his life in lighting up the nets for 18 points on 6 of 10 shooting from long distance, many of which came from nearly 30 feet out.

“I’ve spent a lot of time working on (my shot) with the shooting machine,” Lewis, the younger brother of former Iron Mikes star Khalid Lewis, who is currently redshirting at La Salle University, said. “If they give me the space, I’m going to take it.”

And with just two seniors on the roster, the young Iron Mikes displayed why many believe the monster is growing again, even without the aid of standout point guard Tim Patton, sidelined for the next 2-3 weeks with a hand injury.

Bell, a freshman, netted 16 points, pulled down seven boards and had two assists and two steals. Wright, a junior, had 12 points and Swiney, a freshman, had eight points.
Batie, a senior, had a fine performance with 11 points, five rebounds and five steals.

“It felt great,” Lewis said of the win. “We have to start with our defense and turn it into our offense. If you defend, the offense will come. If you don’t defend, you’re not going to play.”